Winter Moon
by Rockhard angel
Summary: SessXoc; elemental youkai? tailed beasts? a twist on your average female hero.


Winter Moon

Fires burned brightly in the south. The ring and chimes of the war bell echoed in to the far off distance begging for aid of any kind. The battle field lay tattered and clothed with the bodies of the fallen. The country had been in ruin, its children seen more wars than their fathers. Cold small fingers grasped onto their parents. Soot and blood stained they held their tears at bay. Fathers, uncles and brothers were few in returning back to them. They had left for the hill top where the battle for rights to the land where being fought.

At the site only few stood, they had lost the land that their grate grand sires had obtained for them. Arrows embedded in some of the survivors, some having lost a limb or their sight to the battle field hung on each other as they limply gave their surrender. The earth beneath them ignored their pleas for help as well as the coming back to their once proud village they were escorted back by the enemy worriers to their village. Held prisoner there for more than a month. Their home once they tried to defend; now they tried to escape. Soon enough they were granted freedom. With little belongings or supplies most died in the harsh seasons of winter. Soon enough after wondering the four lands the eastern lord of the time had granted the dwindling tribe of elemental youkai what could only be described as a thicket of forest and bamboo trees.

For years they had not taken advantage of the heights of the trees, nor the thickness of their branches and trunks. The roots were deep and thick; pulling water from the very earth that would sustain them. The flexibility of the bamboo branches escaped their notice as well. Potential water funnels and roof tops they stayed on the ground, in shabby huts which let the cold air blow easily and wrack through their bodies easily.

Sickness was constant in their village for three generations, robbing more than half of its population. Though youkai they were of the first element to ever come into existence and there for primitive in everything, except healing. Nature was the first to give her knowledge and submerge her powers within the first chakra vale which was located in the hands.

They began to adapt and branch out, the blood of a pure nature wielder became nonexistent, soon more came and mixed their blood and more and more until only the grand council of five, the last remaining Hizo clan remained. Halflings were born quarter-lings were conceived and the new race took over. Eight generations later and the new race was soundly established, chakra vales were full the hands, the feet, the fingers the wrists the shoulders, the heart, legs , arms, mind and only a chosen few for the eyes .

A young half breed by the name of Ikizo was the first mind who came up with solutions that no one in their right mind would think of. He himself had seven elements to wield. One of them being sight. Sight was not an element but time was and he could see into the time of what could be and what will come. He used this to his advantage helping his village become stronger and more efficient. They had began the construction of the first tree house Ikizo and his friends Shi and Tai. He was a mix breed his father from this village his mother an outsider who had dealt with a lot of abuse but she had made a place for herself and friends. Shi and Tai's mothers where her closest friends and they had helped each other give birth.

The evolution of these more secure holdings appealed to the people of the village. After being shown how to ask a tree of their liking permission to live within them they set to the next phase. Connecting the trees by branch to root they made a knot of bridges that would soon lead to the forest floor below when the village retired to its branches at exactly ten in the evening the branches would move, the bridges moving and forming a second structure, still able to move about the branches created low bridges and barriers surrounding the entire village of leaf. Life was good, farms flourished; cattle bred and created more life and substance. The hunters brought back live game and bred the species into captivity and had a source of meats, milks and rice farms which the females would tend to.

Years went pass without the mention or whisper of war, what did happen however another evolution was in the new species. At the age of twenty a young girl by the name of Hiro, had shed the natural light pink hair and orange eyes. Her skin became much more paler and on her forehead where her birth right was which was a four pointed star was over shadowed by a green band the stripe went from the center of her forehead to both her ears. Her once bright orange eyes were a deep crimson and her hair was a white as the snow. What was amazing however was that her beast had changed as well. The swan youkai's feathers instead of white were all tipped with blood red. Her hair was also tipped with the crimson colour and her neck was the Kenji for 'one'

Another occurrence four hundred years later and a fox youkai male child was born with everything about him blue. His eyes, his hair his throat had 'two' on it boldly in black like a branding wound. The council monitored this. On and on it went when the child who was born with the number eight on their throats as they were a littler of triplets the council began to see similarities. They all took on a coulour of the element that they were most connected to, they all shed their natural hair colour for a match of white and their elemental colour representative and the numbers on their throats. Where how strong their blood beasts were and how many tails they had. There had not been one in nearly fifteen centauries. The council had recorded each tailed beast.

The village had since then been looking for a new leader. It was at that time where Ikizo was at his prime in his age. His mix breed of white wolf and black dog was a struggle for both beast dwelled within him, however it only amplified his element of time and sight. The young male had risen in status due to all he had done for the village when he was but a playing child.

He already had his eye set on the strong minded Mai from the Shi household. His best friend's sister. The female vixen youkai was as fair and as gentle as the wind. He would meet with her sometimes secretly in the high tall branches covered by the thick green apple leaves. It was here he asked her to become his mate if he would obtain the name of leader.

She had accepted with little pleading on her part to her father. A dowry was set up, a contest for her hand as she had come of age to mate and Ikizo was not the only one interested in this delicate flower. He remembered the day as clear as the scar that ran cross his chest. His little mate made it her duty to kiss along the line when he felt marred by it. He had been leader for a little of fifty years. He smiled down at his mate. Lips meeting her smooth neck

"Koiishi, you are well?"

"Hai, I am"

A grin spread across his face as a strong clawed hand rested below her supple chest.

"And our pups"

A small laugh came from her soft pink lips

"Awake and playing"

Winter had come to their secluded forest once again and the arrival of the head man's pups was a joy onto all. There was a chill to the air, a biting chill that nipped at the tender flesh of who ever dared to venture out in to the cold. The night was still like any other and just as cold as any of the others. The village of leaves all lay tucked away in their sleeping trees. Homes which were built in the trunk and around and in the branches were alight with the small contained fires which kept the rooms warm and bathed them with light.

Mai had given birth to twins of opposite sex their names were Raizo the male child and first born, for his daughter who became his shadow in her days of growing up. Was called Rika. Her brother was the image of their father; his hair was as dark as the night and his eyes a mix between silver and gold. His pale birthmark of a sun stood proud on his brow of pale skin. But for the life of him if not for her scent and the taste of her blood he would have thought that Rika was not his pup.

The girl's hair was a soft white with blue tints and streaks going through the strands. Her big doe silver blue eyes looked at him in wonder and even at the age of three and height smaller than her age, she still had to look up at him. With in her eyes he noticed that she regarded him her father as her equal. And no matter the amount of lesions they had she would address him as father Sama and he daughter Sama. It was an odd pact between them but that was how it was generations before them. On her brow was a pale purple crescent moon. Marking her as the second born.

The women were equal to the men in every way; the only time that a female would wear feminine cloths was when they were first born until the age of three, celebrations, weddings, funerals and when a woman was being courted by a male for her hand in marriage. The clan had been quiet taken with Rika for her personality was that of a calculated nature as well as brash and quick to voice her opinions and views her father just laughed when she flat out told the elders to mind their business and keep out of her personal life. They were trying to force her into a mating agreement at twelve. She showed so much promise with her swords. Precision, passion, elegance grace and of course her enemy's death.

When she and her brother were fourteen years old their mother and father had, given them their mount for life, a mount for life was a beast of great size Mai had given her son her family's Black Panther while Rika had received her father's fathers white lion which had silver eyes. He was a hand full but Rika tamed him in am matter of a month. He fought her tooth and nail claiming he was meant to be mounted by males only. She had tied him up bound him up in a tree and only fed him once every four days.

When he had broken free and found himself in trouble with other wolves, she was the one who came and fought them off. His diminished strength from no food or water and high altitude had caused him to weaken. Once he had bowed his head in submission, she fed him so much he was sure he couldn't move for three days. After that he knew that the little onna was his mistress and would be a fair and caring one.

At the age of sixteen both twins had excelled at everything their father and mother presented them with. One of them always pushing the other so they would always be equal. Raizo and Rika were sought after very much some of the females even got the gender of Rika mixed up. The female kept to the deep parts of the forest where the light streamed through the bamboo trees and practiced her swordsmanship in piece.

For three years they lived in piece and during the time of their birth and the present there had only been two wars both of which the twins were too young to be a part of. They held down the fort which was their home and kept the invaders at bay along with the other women and young teenagers. Their father was mighty and strong and had only received one wound across the chest which scared him for life.

He had been the leader since before their birth and they were proud to call him father.

"Raizo" Turing from his sleep the nineteen year old looked to the swollen tear stained face of his mother Mai, her white hihori was crumpled and damp with her tears the orange hakama slightly dirty at the knees where she had been kneeling.

"What is it mother?" Sleep evident in his voice but alarm was in his eyes at the sight of her.

"Your father commands your presence at his death bed"

Her words mad him inhale sharply. 'Death bed, father is dyeing? now why now'

It was cold out as he made the short walk from his own tree house to that of his parents. The bridges croaked as he made his way up them, the ladders cold against his palms as he gripped them to climb. Finding his way to the head tree house where he had once grown up in, his heart hurt for he knew that it would be his father's last night in the mighty tree.

Reaching his father's side in the dimly lit room amongst his clan's elders and mother. He knew why his sister wasn't allowed in and he was glad. For ever since the days he had been born they had been equal in every manner now that his father was on his deathbed it was only natural that he would bestow upon him both title as head of the village as well as the amour and swords.

They were the most powerful of all they bended to the will of the wears own elemental balance. His own was that of six. Lightning, water, earth, fire, wind and wood. There were nine elements in total and anyone who was born with all nine had a nine tailed blood beast, the youkai to their humanoid form.

It was always assumed that he and his sister had the same amount of elements. No one questioned or thought they could be different except their father.

"Bring my daughter Sama to me" the strain of his voice hindered no one's ear never had this happened before females went meant to be in the death rooms unless it was their husband. It was a final place where the man of the house could pass on his legacy to his sons and now it was being changed?

"What is the meaning of this! Cried the eldest of the elder

"I have two pups and I will give them both something"

"Father sama"

"Just look at you, even in a mourning kimono you look just as beautiful as your mother did. You must forgive me little one. I will not be there for your mating or the birth of your own pups. My time is short and I must leave so both of you listen to me."

No longer caring that his sister was there besides him, he directed his attention back to his father. This was it he did not care what his father gave his sister as long as he got the amour and swords which was passed down from generation.

"My son, to you I leave the village and this house. You are lord now your element is earth and wood routed to one spot. This shall be your spot."

He nodded this was a title that was expected to come his way. He listened intently as his father continued to speak.

"My amour and swords. I leave to you Rika"

"What? Father they are my right as male heir"

His father chuckled and cast heavy weak eyes on his son.

"You are too weak the amour and the swords will reject you" a snarl ripped from his throat but another which clearly told him to shut up came from his father and sister. "Mind your place Rika; this is between father and I"

"Try if you want, but I tell you the amour and swords are for Rika"

"You would leave your armor to a female!" he screamed

"Listen to me, though you are twins you do not have the same amount of elemental vales as each other, Raizo you merely have six…while your sister has ten"

Silence filled the room ten, how could there be ten the highest amount of elements was only nine as far as the elements went. In the records the tailed beasts had stopped their mutation at the eighth one. His sister was a tailed beast and he...he wasn't?

"Father sama, you said you would not say anything"

At that Raizo's gaze settled on her his eyes pierced into her own wishing that his gaze alone could cause her some sort of pain.

"You knew, how long have you known that you surpassed me"

Rika looked him dead in his eye as the second born she was not afraid nor intimidated by her brother she felt bad for him. He could only reach so high while she still climbed. Her mind matched that of her fathers, her grace that of the very bamboo trees, elegant and soft. Her heart a globe of fire and passion. The hands neatly tucked into her sleeves wished and itched to heal her father's battle wound, and yet she could not he had told her it was how it was ment to be.

"Seven years ago, the elders thought I could be the one to continue and become the ninth tailed. However it did not stop it continued until it was ten."

He snarled again frustrated and angry at her for humiliating him so. So it was there sitting right in his face. His sister the prodigy the ten tailed beast and the chosen for the sacred armor of his father's clan. His eyes clouded over in hate and disgust at his sister, he hated himself for being so weak that his sister was able to surpass him.

"The amour will turn against you, killing you with your own element if you go against its desires. The swords will burn you until only bone and claw remain. It has been decided Raizo. You must accept it. Men will want you only for your power my little one. I have the sight and have seen it happen so be on your guard"

The young female nodded her eyes heavy with tears and sadness. She watched as her father's smile slowly faded the grip of his hand on his daughters shoulder as she lay next to him slackened and she let loose a whimper her mother followed until it was only mournful howls in the thick night.

Rika dragged herself over to her birthright. Summoning her mount Sekai she told him to take it to his home in the mountains in the morning and to remain with it until she called for him again. The white lion rubbed his muzzle against her palm in his way of offering comfort to her before turning with his charges strapped to his back. To his home lands in the northern mountains.

They gave him a ceremony that would rival all the last leaders. It was grand the forest of green of natural birth was turned into a swarm of red. Red rose petals and lanterns were all aglow the water of the near by stream carried the rose petals up on its current far and wide. Spreading like blood in the clear water.

On a high mound of logs away from the village as far as would be aloud, was the fallen leader of the village of leaf, donned in his finest of red silk formal kimono's eyes closed face blue and soft. Cold to the touch. He had not lasted through the night. And the family was allowed to morn his death in their own comforts.

The snow began to fall slowly and gently down, as if the heavens themselves were mournful. The sky dark gray and somewhat bleak, wind blew to the south of the plane in a harsh whisper of direction and current, the stick like trees outside their village was somewhat haunting on they did not wish to be there for very long. Group by group family by family they returned back to their village of flourished leaves and warm trunks. They kept the winter at bay from the trees so that they would not sleep and cause discomforts to themselves.

Rika stood still by the mound, the smell of burning flesh stinging her nose and making her stomach churn and eyes water. The black smoke climbed higher into the air. Slowly she allowed a mask to slip slowly she let her vulnerability show clear as the snow beneath her feet and slowly she sunk to the ground in tears and grief.

Returning to the village before the trees would move to create the security bridges, the young female sat in her room on the bed of furs, five candles thick in there with were placed upon a small table. They were alight along with the blaze of the small alcove where the fire was going. The white lantern outside of her room was blown out as the door was open and let the harsh winter wind in.

There stood her brother; no he was a stranger to her. She did not recognize the hate in his eyes as her brother only had a childish warmth and manly pride within them. His stance was that of an arrogant leader one who would cause destruction as his decisions were entirely based off his emotions.

He was decked in an black and silver garb of sorts. The front was long tunic which could look like a sleeping gown. The two slits up each thigh allowed easy movement. He wore white hakama under the garb and boots.

"Before the sun rise, I want you gone. Stay and I will force you into a mating with Hirox. He will not take any refusal"

"You cannot do this, you think I would not kill him on sight if he forced himself on me?"

"I was counting on it, because you know the penalty for killing your mate"

Her eyes widened she would be put to death herself if she killed him. No matter what was done to a mate murder was the highest offence.

Her mouth set in a firm line she looked him dead in the eye and looked at the sun that kissed his forehead. She had no choice leave her home or submit to that animal of a male that sought brothels whichever way he went.

Turning her back to the one she called brother she did not want him to see the defeat in her eyes.

"Know this _sister_, should we ever meet again. It will be on the battle ground. Pray you that meeting never comes"

Leaving without another word the young woman lay down for a small while. Tears prickled but they did not fall. Instead she called her mother and spoke with her having ventured out before with her parents she knew where and where not to go.

She had her small bags packed only two which could fit on each side of Sekai easily. One had her clothing and any cloth that she would need and foot wear. The other her bedding blankets and fur. She carried a small satchel of food. Her room bare of any trace of her except scent greeted her when she had come back from the tree roots hot springs.

On her table laid her clothing of white furs and thick under clothing. The first to put on was the inner hakama. It clung to her legs and was thick in fabric. It covered her feet as well providing socks, next was her bindings and a small under shirt which had a high collar to keep the chill from her neck. The long sleeves were tight until her wrists. Another shirt was placed on top and then tucked into a thick white hakama. Another set of socks was put on her feet before she put on a pair of white boots.

Final garment was a tight white hihori void of any colour a thick sash of white fur kept it from falling apart and exposing her to the cold air. Then she pulled up a white mask which stopped just under her eyes. The silver blue eyes stood boldly against all the white. A heavy fur cloak with wide hood was the final piece. Her hands covered with fingerless gloves she called Sekai to bring her swords and amour attached to her back and in her clothing bag.

Landing on the forest floor after speaking to her friends and mother she looked back at the village that her father had constructed. The paw prints that were left by Sekai were the only evidence that she had left. Pulling the hood up to keep her shielded from the cold. She began her journey to the north.

Sekai's home


End file.
